Letters

LETTER: Giving Thanks to Watertown for an Urban Forest with a Future

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Young Nature Detective “JD” examines a bug vacuum as his mother, Jamie, looks on. By Anita Roy DobbsForests for Watertown – a working group of Trees for Watertown

“No more ants!” It was the sixth time a very large black ant had escaped its observation jar and was racing across the table of “Nature Detectives” equipment at the Watertown Arts Market (WAM) on Saturday, August 8th. How do they squeeze through those tiny air holes? The table of Trees for Watertown’s working group Forests for Watertown (FFW) was surrounded by young park visitors (and their adults) who borrowed bug vacuums, binoculars, and magnifying glasses to range the park in search of close-up nature experiences with bug biodiversity.

Around Town

LETTER: Thoughts on Watertown’s Housing Production Goals

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Dear Editor,

Wednesday evening, May 7th  the Eye on Watertown Podcast had the pleasure to have as our guests Josh Rosmarin and Jacky van Leeuwen, Members of the Steering Committee of Housing For All Watertown. 

Housing for All Watertown’s mission is to build a broad coalition of residents to advance local policies and projects in order to expand housing options. My understanding is their  focus is on finding solutions to current housing challenges for both current and future community members. Advance in the mission statement for Housing for All Watertown is used in the context of pushing forward policies and projects that expand housing options. The group has also been involved in efforts to combat ethnic – and income-based discrimination in Watertown’s housing market. We found that Expanding Affordable Housing has been in the forefront of their efforts and has pushed for more affordable housing units as part of the MBTA Communities Act Plan which aims to increase housing near transit hubs. The Housing for All Watertown’s group and its approach has been deemed by many as one of the most ambitious housing advocates in the state.

Around Town

LETTER: Resident Strongly Endorses Yes on Question 4

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Hi Massachusetts Voters,

As I have said in a comment, I will be voting yes on all the ballot questions.  (Watertown specimen ballots for the general election on Tuesday, November 3rd, can be found here at https://www.watertown-ma.gov/295/Specimen-Ballots). At the root of many of the ballot questions is economic fairness. However, I feel most completed to write about Question 4. “This proposed law would allow persons aged 21 and older to grow, possess, and use certain natural psychedelic substances in certain circumstances. The psychedelic substances allowed would be two substances found in mushrooms (psilocybin and psilocin) and three substances found in plants (dimethyltryptamine, mescaline, and ibogaine).” I feel compelled because this is about how we care for those who have no other options.

Around Town

LETTER: Progressive Watertown Endorses 2 Ballot Questions

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The following piece was submitted by Progressive Watertown:

There are the five state-wide ballot questions on the November 5, 2024 ballot. Question 1: Determining State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature

Question 2: Eliminating the use of the MCAS as a Graduation Requirement

Question 3: Unionization for Transportation Network Drivers (Uber and Lyft)

Question 4: Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural Psychedelic Substances (such as Psilocybin)

Question #5: Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers. Progressive Mass has endorsed all five ballot questions. Progressive Watertown, a chapter, has reviewed and endorsed Questions 2 and 5. Progressive Watertown did not review the other questions. 

Yes on 2 supports the elimination of the MCAS as a high school graduation requirement. It does not end the use of MCAS for evaluative purposes. Massachusetts is one of only 11 states still including a test as a high school graduation requirement.

Around Town

LETTER: Boys & Girls Club Planning to Expand, Obstacle Hindering Its Efforts

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The Watertown Boys and Girls Club is expanding, building a New Foundation

The Board of Directors, Executive Director Gary Beatty and staff of the Watertown Boys and Club are delighted to announce an expansion of the space we use in our building and our programming for the children and families of Watertown. 

We are building a new foundation for the growth of our Club in Watertown. New Foundations — the project name — is our more than $1.6 M project to completely renovate the ground floor of the building.  The result will be a beautiful space that will house a brand new licensed childcare program — the first of its kind at the WBGC and the only one in Watertown–to provide licensed after-school childcare for up to 85 children. This will enable us to help meet the growing need for quality after-school care for children in K-3 in Watertown. I am writing to share an update on our project.  In the past year we hired an architect, Bloom Architects, agreed on a design, developed drawings and bid documents, bid the job out and awarded the bid. We have signed a contract with Groom Construction. Groom was the low bidder (by over $100K) and have been very responsive and easy to work with. We are excited to be working with them. Construction is due to start in August and is expected to finish around the end of the year. We are ready to move ahead, but we can’t.  The barrier is First Path Daycare.

Around Town

LETTER: Watertown Cares, Has Responded to City, State & National Needs

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Dear Editor,

It is disconcerting to me, as the city moves forward in implementing the Watertown Square Conceptual Plan, is the constant “we need housing.”  We know that none of the people clamoring for housing are homeless. However, there is nothing wrong with being altruistic and wanting to help others. Wouldn’t how and what is the capacity of Watertown to help reduce housing needs in the Commonwealth be an advantageous approach? I have been especially proud of Watertown in that when none of the surrounding cities and towns would have Halfway Homes in their community, Watertown stepped forward and welcomed those less fortunate into the community. David and Anne Bromer, who we met in Watertown, spearheaded Fair Housing Practices in Massachusetts. They asked Mary and me to assist in testing landlords as to whether they would lease or rent to Black People. To my knowledge, David and Anne did not test in Watertown. 

We know there were some in Watertown who didn’t wish to rent to Black People as there were throughout the state; especially during this period in Boston with its clamor over anti-busing in Schools.

Around Town

OP-ED: Casting a Better Vision for Galen Street

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As Southside Residents, we are excited to see the Watertown Square Area Plan’s investments in our neighborhood. We appreciate the Watertown Square Area Plan’s focus on making this area a destination. That kind of investment is sorely needed—and the residents of this neighborhood deserve better. Since the arrival of the Mass Turnpike back in the 1960’s, Galen Street has become an extended Pike frontage road for Exit 17, catering towards cut through commuters from Belmont and beyond, rather than Watertown Southside residents. As a result, Galen Street is overloaded with gas stations and tire shops, all oriented towards commuters.

Schools

LETTER: Couple Endorses School Committee Candidate

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Dear Neighbors and Friends,

Many are cynical or feel hopeless about politics. Let’s concede that some reasons for that exist. But there are even more reasons for recommitting ourselves to the honorable tradition of “P”olitics as service to community and to others, especially so for us in Watertown. With no need to deny the gamesmanship aspect of electoral politics, politics in Watertown is vibrant and decent. It is incumbent on all of us to keep it this way by shutting our doors to any attempts to undermine the service to the common good, rational, and compassionate spirit of our politics.